Question 1

Paid sabbaticals can be a symbol of an organizations culture.

Accepted Answer

Paid sabbaticals demonstrate that an organization values and supports the personal and professional development of its employees, which can be indicative of a positive and supportive organizational culture.

Question 2

The regular distribution of lollipops, toys, or treats every Friday is an example of a ________ that helps reinforce Nunya's culture.

Accepted Answer

The regular distribution of lollipops, toys, or treats every Friday is an example of a ritual that helps reinforce Nunya's culture. Rituals are regular and repeated behaviors or activities that hold symbolic meaning for a group or organization, and they help to reinforce shared values and norms. In this case, the Friday treat distribution helps to reinforce the value of generosity and community-building within Nunya's culture.

Question 3

Material symbols convey to employees the degree of egalitarianism that is desired by top management.

Accepted Answer

Material symbols, such as office size and location, can communicate to employees the level of equity or inequality that is desired by top management. For example, if all employees have the same size and location of office, it sends a message that the company values egalitarianism and fairness. Alternatively, if certain employees have large corner offices while others have small cubicles, it sends a message that the company values hierarchy and status.

Question 4

To create a more ethical culture, management should do all of the following except ________.

Accepted Answer

Encouraging unbridled competition can actually undermine ethical behavior, as individuals may prioritize winning over doing what is moral or ethical. Therefore, management should not encourage such behavior if they want to create a more ethical culture.

Question 5

Company chants are examples of ________.

Accepted Answer

Company chants are repeated phrases or lines that employees recite as a part of company rituals or ceremonies. This reinforces the company culture, values, and traditions. Therefore, company chants are an example of a ritual.

Question 6

A code of ethics is a mechanism which works to establish a strong organizational culture by ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A code of ethics is a mechanism...

Question 7

Which of the following act(s) as a common denominator to unite members of a given culture or subculture?

Accepted Answer

Jargons and acronyms that are specific to an organization act as a common denominator to unite members of a given culture or subculture. They help create a shared language and understanding among employees, which reinforces the organization's values and goals. Mechanistic and bureaucratic organizational structures are formal designs that prescribe rules and procedures to regulate interactions among members. Unity of command refers to the principle that an employee should report to only one supervisor, and 360-degree appraisals are performance evaluations that involve input from multiple sources. While these may be important elements of an organization's culture, they are not as effective in uniting members as the shared language provided by jargons and acronyms.

Question 8

________ help employees understand the history and past actions of an organization and explain and legitimate current practices by anchoring the present in the past.

Accepted Answer

Stories are a powerful way to communicate an organization's culture and history, and preserve its traditions and values. Stories help employees understand and relate to the organization's past actions and values, and provide a sense of continuity and identity. They also serve to justify and legitimize the organization's current practices, by linking them to a larger narrative or purpose.

Question 9

What are the various ways in which the organizational culture can be transmitted to the employees?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the various ways in which...

Question 10

Which of the following is not a message conveyed by material symbols?

Accepted Answer

Material symbols do not typically convey marketing strategy, as this is usually communicated through other means such as advertising and branding efforts. The other choices—organizational hierarchy, top management's egalitarianism, appropriate risk-taking behavior, and appropriate authoritarian behavior—are all potential messages that can be conveyed through material symbols such as office layouts, furniture, and dress codes.

Question 11

Which of the following is not a means of transmitting culture within an organization?

Accepted Answer

People orientation refers to the degree to which management decisions take into account the effects on people within the organization. It is not a means of transmitting culture, but rather a managerial approach. Stories, rituals, language, and material symbols are all examples of ways in which culture can be transmitted within an organization.

Question 12

Phyllis works for a corporation that recently fired three top managers who were caught using the company credit cards to lavishly furnish their offices and even purchase "office" furniture that was found in their personal homes. Which method of maintaining an ethical culture is Phyllis's company pursuing?

Accepted Answer

Visibly punishing unethical acts is the method of maintaining an ethical culture that Phyllis's company is pursuing by firing the top managers who misused company funds. This sends a message to the rest of the employees that unethical behavior will not be tolerated, and there are consequences for such actions.

Question 13

Alcoa headquarters has few individual offices, even for senior executives. The space is essentially made up of cubicles, common areas, and meeting rooms. This informality conveys to employees that Alcoa values ________.

Accepted Answer

The fact that Alcoa has few individual offices and instead has cubicles, common areas, and meeting rooms suggests a focus on equality and a lack of hierarchy. Alcoa values a sense of community and collaboration among employees, rather than emphasizing status or rigidity.

Question 14

________ typically contain(s) a narrative of events about the organization's founders, rule breaking, or reactions to past mistakes.

Accepted Answer

Stories are narratives that provide context and meaning to organizational events and experiences. They often contain information about the organization's founders, rule breaking, or reactions to past mistakes. By sharing these stories, organizations can create a sense of shared history and identity among employees, stakeholders, and customers. Material symbols, rituals, language, and corporate chants can also contribute to organizational culture, but they may not necessarily contain a narrative of events.

Question 15

Nunya employees are allowed to dress informally. This is an example of a ________ through which organizational culture is transmitted.

Accepted Answer

The material symbol of allowing informal dress code is an example through which organizational culture is transmitted. A material symbol refers to a physical object or artifact that represents some aspect of organizational culture. In this case, the dress code policy is a material symbol that communicates the relaxed and casual nature of the organization.

Question 16

Nunya is a computer software company that employs highly intelligent, but somewhat unusual people. Every Friday, free lollipops, toys, or other treats are given out to encourage employees to remember how creative they were when they were children. All the new members of the organization are told about the founders who were three young people who "got lucky" and sold a video game that they invented. The employees are allowed to dress informally and can set their own working hours. Informing employees about the founders is an example of which technique for transmitting culture?

Accepted Answer

The technique being used to transmit culture is through stories, specifically the story of the founders of the company.

Question 17

An organizational culture most likely to shape high ethical standards among its members is one that ________.

Accepted Answer

An organizational culture that balances the rights of multiple stakeholders is more likely to shape high ethical standards among its members because it emphasizes the importance of considering the impact of actions on a variety of stakeholders, not just the individual or the organization. This encourages employees to make decisions that are socially responsible and promote long-term sustainability, rather than focus purely on short-term gains. It also creates a culture of accountability and transparency, which can help prevent unethical behavior.

Question 18

Which of the following is not an example of stories?

Accepted Answer

The implementation of standard operating procedures is not a story, but rather a description of a process or plan. The other options are all examples of stories that convey a narrative or a sequence of events.

Question 19

Explain the primary methods of maintaining an organization's culture.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain the primary methods of maintaining an...

Question 20

Phil is new at JPS Corp., but after a week he already knows that the founder of the corporation started the business in his garage with only $4,000 and one client. This information was most likely transmitted to Phil by way of ________.

Accepted Answer

Stories are a common way to transmit corporate culture and history, often sharing the origins, challenges, and successes of the company in a memorable and engaging manner.

Quiz 16: Organizational Culture